A sad parting

Last week we said goodbye to one of the girls..

Andromeda, aka Romy, was Ms. Tina (in the background) latest housemate.  They would occasionally hang out in the front window or under the dining room table (here they hid) but typically they held to their territory or enjoyed a good scream and slap around session.

Over the past couple of weeks, we noticed something was wrong with one of the girls, but couldn't figure out switch one.  They are both good at keeping things to themselves.  Well the vet dropped a major bomb on us,  Romy was in kidney failure.  Though she wasn't a snuggle kitten, like Ms. Tina, we all miss out guard kitty.  During my time home this winter and spring, she would take position on our bed each night DH wasn't home.  More recently her protection place was on the floor on my bedside, so whenever I got up she was ready to come along where ever I went.

I hope Romy finds friends in Tess, Garden Kitty, Nocturne, Mr. Mann, and all our other animal friends who are waiting for their 2 legged humans to come back to them.

Don't send out a search party

I haven't fallen off the edge of the world.  Taking a 4th of July blog vacation turned into a 2 month sabbatical from most everything online, expect paying the bills.  If I wasn't paying the bills, you wouldn't be able to read anything from me.  And just because I haven't been posting doesn't mean I haven't been doing other stuff.

We spent the 4th of July at my parents, enjoyed a live performance of 1776 at Plays in the Park.  It was fun watching MM's response to the show.  Her history program last year was colonial America and now she thinks Ben Franklin and the others are really cool.  LB just loved having time in the park and a picnic dinner before the show.  If you are in Central Jersey during the summer, I recommend taking an evening show in the park.

The last week of July was spent in Western New York with our annual trip to Chautauqua. This year DH, BIL, SIL, and I were treated to a dinner out without the kids.  DH's dad and stepmom offer to take the 4 kids for dinner and ice cream so we could enjoy a dinner together.  It was so fun just having an adult conversation uninterrupted.   I'll post more pics from the week as soon as I get them better sorted.

August brought two big 0 events to the family.  On the 8th, I ventured into my 4th decade.  WOW, I am totally amazed to be saying now I'm 40.  With the new life coming online later this year, my new career will also be my mid-life crisis event.

Friday was another big 0 - MM is now 10.  All I could say to DH after her birthday dinner was "where did all the time go?" and "how did she make it to 10?"  More photos of the decade baby later too.  Getting her ears pierced was the top of the birthday wish list so that was our to-do list item for last week.  In six weeks, I'll start hiding my earrings since she keeps commenting on those she thinks would be fun to wear.

I'm still knitting.  With my mom's help, I hope to finish one project which is a hangover from last year's scarf project over Labor Day weekend.  This is a addition to our annual uniform production line.

My sweater is proceeding nicely and should be ready for 4th of July 2011.  Scarf project 2010 continues though without the self demanding production schedule.  And it also continues to use more of the stash hiding in the closet at my parents.  Daddy appreciates anyone who removes skeins from his house even if they don't knit, crochet or anything else.

Next posting promises some pics of our summer fun and other adventures.

Flour flury

After an afternoon nap for all the gang, me included, I headed into the kitchen to test some recipes and mixes in prep for my next life.

Yes its nearly hot as hades, but I put the oven on and finished several items. With the help of MM, we produced a loaf of beer bread, peanut butter cookies, walnut chocolate chip cookies, butterbrikle scones, and dried fruit scones.  The bread and peanut butter cookies are from scratch, while the others had starts from mixes.  It was so much fun having MM help read the recipes, measure ingredients and lick the beaters was a wonderful time.  It brought back many memories of cooking with my Nana during my summer visits and Grandpa's complaints that it was too hot to heat the house by turning on the oven.  Nana generally settled him and we made whatever treat I asked for and later we all enjoyed it.

The biggest test today wasn't getting so many pans through the oven without burning anything, but my plan for the next round. Half of the cookie and scone batches went into the freezer for later baking.  In my next life having items ready for the oven will save me major amounts of time so the family is my current testing ground.  All the results earned two thumbs up from LB, MM, and DH.  I especially like the dried fruit scones .

New project

And it isn't a scarf.

The yarn is an organic cotton and recycled soda bottle blend I picked up at Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival a couple of years ago from Little Barn.  I was intrigued by the fiber mix and loved the color.  I also knew exactly what I wanted to make, well sort of, it had to be a sleeveless sweater perfect for wearing on the 4th of July.

Last fall I found the pattern, a fitted tank from Blue Sky Alpacas.  The long ribbed bottom is neat and this will be great for work or my next life.

So here are the first 2 1/2 to 3 inches on the front or back, they each start out the same.

Your a Grand Old Flag

And may you for ever wave.

Flag Day 2010

Being in Philadelphia, you have to venture to the Betsy Ross House at least once and especially for Flag Day.  June 12-13 was the third annual Flag Fest which provided an even bigger reason to tour the house and enjoy all that was available to watch, hear, and see.

Heading to 2nd and Arch for the start ensured we would have plenty of time and hopefully not melt, and we were right.  With Arch Street closed between 2nd and 3rd, a city street fair gave time to stroll down the street to see the vendors including Physick House, Clay Studio, and Laurel Hill Cemetery.  Spending quality time with clay was just what LB wanted to do, and he would still be there today if we hadn't pulled him away to something else.

On the courtyard outside brought a variety of entertainment  including a unit from Fralinger String Band, 

Give and Take Jugglers, and the Boy Scouts.  With the jugglers, LB found that he was just the right person for the moment.  This was the start of his segment which ended with him being juggled.  I was laughing too hard to get a clear picture of that feat.

    








The Boy Scouts from Roxbourgh brought the quiet respect to retiring many American flags with a burning ceremony.  They also encouraged everyone there to participate with a flag to add to the flames.  The ashes from this burning were laid near Betsy Ross' grave.    I haven't participated in a flag burning since I was at Girl Scout camp.  This was much more significant then anything I had previously been a part of.

Winding down the year

As the school year comes to the end, tests, parties and trips keep kids busy.

The school trip this year was to Medieval Times for an afternoon of food games and tournament.  Actually for school trips there is a brief introduction to the world of jousting and chivalry.  I chaperoned for MM's class and had to keep  tabs on MM and one of her friends.

LB cruised through the day with two buddies, one dad, and one granddad.  Needless to say there were plenty of  parental units along so none had too many children to keep track of during the day.

Making more fun - MM's group stood to support the Yellow night while LB's group supported the blue night.  These were two of the six nights jousting for the honor of tournament champion.  Neither of our knights won the tournament but a good time was had by all.

If you can enjoy a time of suspended reality, watch beautiful animals, and enjoy a simple meal; a round at Medieval Times can be fun for an entire family.